Kyoto's famous Temple of the Golden Pavilion is up there on most visitors' must-see lists, and it is easy to understand why. Set against a backdrop of large bonsai trees, this golden Zen temple—dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of

(+) More

Kyoto's famous Temple of the Golden Pavilion is up there on most visitors' must-see lists, and it is easy to understand why. Set against a backdrop of large bonsai trees, this golden Zen temple—dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy—is simply breathtaking. Constructed over three floors, standing 12.8 meters high, clad in gold leaf, and reflected majestically in the Mirror Pond (Kyoko-chi), it will impress even the most travel-weary teenager. In 1950, an arsonist razed the temple, so what you see today is a painstaking reconstruction—one that UNESCO added to its World Heritage List in 1994.

(-) Close